Nancy Johnson, a prominent leader in the Northwest Indiana philanthropic community, announced today she will retire in 2010 after 11 years as president of Legacy Foundation, Lake County’s Community Foundation.

Johnson decided to retire to spend more time with family, to travel and to pursue personal interests. She caps off a 35-year career in nonprofit development, both as a volunteer and as professional staff.

“Nancy has worked tirelessly to grow the assets of Legacy Foundation, expand the reach of its grant-making and develop a team of staff and volunteers that is second to none. Through these efforts she has touched the lives of countless people throughout Lake County, and for that we thank her,” said Margot Clark, chairwoman of the board of directors of Legacy Foundation. “Though we are sad to see her leave the helm of the organization, we wish her all the best in her well-deserved retirement.”

During Johnson’s tenure, Legacy’s assets have grown from $8 million to more than $33 million. Since its founding in 1992, Legacy has awarded more than $20 million in grants and scholarships.

“Nancy Johnson has played a significant role in the capacity building of nonprofit organizations in Lake County,” said John Cain, executive director of the South Shore Arts Association. “I’ve gleaned a great deal of support from Nancy. She is an advocate and a mentor to the development community. She will be missed.”

“Nancy is knowledgeable about the issues facing the people of Northwest Indiana, and passionate about finding resources to address those issues,” Ellis said. “Her leadership has brought Legacy Foundation to the forefront on confronting challenges such as educational attainment, feeding the hungry and improving quality of life for senior citizens.”

Previous to joining Legacy Foundation in 1999, Johnson served as director of annual giving for Purdue University Calumet in Hammond and as director of development for the Visiting Nurse Association of Lake County. She was a founding member of the Northwest Indiana Planned Giving Group and the Leave a Legacy® campaign.

Johnson will remain with Legacy Foundation through a transition period that begins immediately with a nationwide search for a new president of the organization. A job description and information about how to apply for the position are available via the Legacy Foundation Web site, www.legacyfoundationlakeco.org.